Will Kanimozhi finally get bail in 2G scam case?

Chennai: Five months after Kanimozhi was arrested as an accused in the 2G scam, will she finally get bail? That's the question the Special CBI court will answer on Thursday as it delivers its order on the bail pleas of DMK Rajya Sabha MP and DMK President M Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi along with four other 2G accused.

Kanimozhi's last statement before she was sent to judicial custody in the 2G scam on the May 20, 2011 was "I am not a soft target"

Since then her focus has been getting bail but the courts did not entertain her bail plea till charges were framed. That meant that she had to spend the last five months including a Diwali in prison.

Her father, the DMK chief made two trips to Delhi to meet her. In the second visit just ahead of Diwali, Karunanidhi met his ally Sonia Gandhi for the first time since Kanimozhi's arrest, resulting in speculation that it was his last ditch effort to get bail for his daughter. But all hopes of returning to Chennai with his daughter for Diwali were quashed when the court reserved its order till November 3, despite the CBI not opposing Kanimozhi's bail plea.

"Kanimozhi is determined, even if she is looking weak, she is very confident," Karunanidhi said.

But except the DMK chief others within Karunanidhi's family, observers say, have not backed Kanimozhi. Her elder brother and union minister MK Azhagiri is seen as being against her and MK Stalin has been indifferent. Senior party leaders hope that bail for Kanimozhi could pave the way for the DMK retaking the cabinet berths vacated by the resignation of A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran. But they concede that for the moment Karunanidhi is not interested in retaking the berths.

Despite the ostensible statements of solidarity from the party, it's clear that Kanimozhi will have to fight the political and legal battle on her own. Her father remains her only source of power and the road ahead remains uncertain. For the moment the focus is on whether she will get bail or will she have to endure one more twist from the courts.